Missile launcher toy



M. G- MILLER MISSILE LAUNCHER TOY Sept. 15, 19 4 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 6, 1961 INVENTOR.

BYi g AIV'O/PA/L'V' Sept. 15, 1964 M. G. MILLER MISSILE LAUNCHER TOY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 6, 1961 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Sept. 15, 1964 M. G. MILLER 3,

MISSILE LAUNCHER TOY Filed Nov. 6, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet3 Me/wn G. g g/1 243? w my 3 nrramvm United States Patent 3,148,478 NHSSILE LAUNCHER TOY Melvin G. Miller, 6424 Sylvan, Houston, Tex. Filed Nov. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 150,277 2 Claims. (Ci. 4674) This invention relates to a toy which is designed to simulate a missile of the rocket type and a launching vehicle for the same.

The invention has for an important object the provision of a toy missile launching vehicle with which is combined a toy missile of the rocket type and mechanism for automatically launching the missile when the vehicle reaches a predetermined location.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy missile launching vehicle which is electrically operated and track mechanism by which the vehicle may be caused to follow a desired path and to launch the missile when the vehicle reaches a predetermined location.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a toy missile launching vehicle having missile launching mechanism and a missile therefor which may be releasably latched to the vehicle in a manner to permit launching of the missile whenever desired.

The invention also contemplates a track structure for toys of the kind mentioned, which is easily assembled and taken apart and which may be assembled to form trackways of many different configurations to guide the vehicle along any desired course.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy missile launching vehicle and missile therefor which are of strong and rugged construction and which may be readily furnished as a kit of parts which are easily assembled.

The above and other important objects of the invention may best be understood from the following detailed description constituting a specification of the same when considered in conjunction with the annexed drawings, wherein- FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the missile carrying and launching vehicle and missile of the invention, showing the missile in loaded position thereon ready for launching;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 1 showing the vehicle and missile at the time that launching takes place;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical, longitudinal, central crosssectional view, on a somewhat enlarged scale, showing details of structure of the launching vehicle and missile, with the missile in its loaded position preparatory to launching of the same;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the invention as illustrated in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional View, taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line 66 of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken along the line 77 of FIGURE 6, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of the track fitting by which the launcher mechanism is set in operation;

FIGURE 9 is a top plan view of switch mechanism used with the track;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the track of the invention, partly broken away to show structural details of the track joint;

FIGURE 11 is a plan view on a greatly reduced scale illustrating one form of trackway arrangement of the invention; and

FIGURE 12 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 11 illustrating a somewhat different form of the trackway arrangement.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, the toy missile carrying and launching vehicle of the invention comprises a body, generally designated 10, of hollow construction, formed of suitable material, such as molded plastic, having a rear compartment 12 and a forward compartment 14, the forward compartment being shaped to hold electric batteries such as ordinary flashlight cells, such as that indicated at 16, each of the cells being contained in the rounded generally tubular shaped portion 18 of the forward compartment. The rear compartment 12 is of hollow, generally rcetangular shape, adapted to contain the small electric motor 20 by which the vehicle is driven, and which is adapted to be operated from the batteries as a source of electrical power.

The vehicle is propelled by a pair of driving wheels 22, carried by a rotatable shaft 24, suitably mounted on the compartment 12, and which is rotated by the motor 21) through a gear train, including a pinion 26 attached to the motor shaft, and which is in intermeshing engagement with a gear 28 whose shaft carries a small gear 30 which is in intermeshing engagement with a gear 32 carried by the shaft 24, as best illustrated in FIGURE 3. By this arrangement, upon operation of the motor 24 the gear train will be actuated to rotate the shaft 24 to turn the driving wheels 29 by which the vehicle is propelled forwardly.

A grooved wheel 34 is suitably mounted on the forward compartment 14 extending downwardly therefrom on a swivel fitting 36 into engagement with a tubular monorail track 38, whereby the vehicle will be guided along the track as the vehicle is operated.

The motor is operated by the batteries 16 through a sliding switch, best illustrated in FIGURE 7, which includes a switch plate or blade 40 slidably mounted on the top wall of the rear compartment 12, for movement to one position in engagement with a contact element 42 also mounted on the top wall of the rear compartment to close an electrical circuit including the batteries and motor 20 and to another position out of contact with said contact member to open the motor circuit. Suitable connections are provided between the switch blade 40 and the batteries 16 as by means of a conductor 44 and the motor 20 and batteries 16 as by means of a conductor 46, in the usual manner, suitable contact elements such as the element 43 being positioned in the forward compartment 14 for engagement with the batteries in the usual manner, whereby the batteries may be readily removed and replaced when desired.

The switch blade 40 is provided at its forward end with a plunger 59 which is slidably extended rearwardly through the rear wall of the rear compartment 12, so that when this plunger is pulled outwardly the switch will be closed and when the plunger moves inwardly the switch will be opened. The switch blade 40 has a central, longitudinally extending slot 52 therethrough, and the upper wall of the housing also has a slot 54, through which an operating element, to be described in detail hereinafter, may be extended into engagement with the switch blade in the slot 52 thereof, to actuate the switch blade.

The toy missile of the invention is adapted to be mounted on top of the vehicle, and comprises an elongated, generally cylindrical body 56 of projectile or bullet shape having a closed nose 58, the rear end of the missile being opened. The missile carries mediate its ends an external, annular collar 60, which is shaped to provide an external, annular, forwardly opening recess, surrounding the missile, as best seen in FIGURE 3, and the missile is provided at its rear end with an externally enlarged portion 64, providing an internally enlarged countcrbore 66 forming an internally annular rearwardly facing shoulder 68. The missile is also provided at its rear end with an external annular flange 70. The missile is telescopingly carried by an elongated tubular carrier 72, pivotally mounted at its rear or lower end on the vehicle, as by means of an external lower end flange 74, having an extension 76, through which the pivot pin 78 is extended, which pivot pin is mounted at its opposite ends in upwardly extending lugs 80 on the body, whereby the carrier may move from a substantially horizontal position, as illustrated in FIGURE 1, to a substantially vertical position, as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

A coiled spring 82 surrounds the shaft 78, and is eX- tended at one end, as indicated at 84, to bear against the upper face of the top of the body and at its other end has an extension 86, which extends about a latch member 88, pivotally mounted on the shaft 78, whereby the spring urges the latch member into latching contact with the rear end flange 70 of the missile, when the missile is in loaded position on the carrier. The latch member 88 has a hook portion 90 which is engageable over the flange 70 of the missile to releasably hold the missile on the carrier, as best illustrated in FIGURE 3. The latch member 88 also has a downward projection 92 which extends through the slot 54 in the top of the compartment 12 and through the slot 52 of the switch blade 40, so that when the latch member 88 is moved to its releasing position, the projection 92 will engage the switch blade in the slot 52 to move the switch blade forwardly out of contact with the contact 42 to open the circuit to the motor 20 to stop the vehicle, and the switch blade 40 may be moved to closed position by pulling out the plunger 50 when the latch member 88 is in its latching position, as illustrated in FIGURE 3.

The carrier 72 has an external annular flange 74 on its lower end against which the lower end of the missile 56 is seated when the missile is in loaded position, and a cross-bar 96 is slidably mounted on the carrier and extends through diametrically opposite, elongated slots 98, 98 in the carrier. A missile propelling spring 100 is positioned in the carrier, which is seated at one end on an internal shoulder 102 therein and whose other end bears against the cross-bar 96 to urge the cross-bar upwardly in the slots 98, 98.

In the loaded position of the missile, the end portions of the cross-bar 96 are in engagement with the internal shoulder 68 of the missile to compress the spring 100, as seen in FIGURE 3, the hook 90 of the missile holding latch member 88 being then in engagement with the flange 70 of the missile to hold the missile against outward movement on the carrier. The latch member 88 also has a rearwardly extending arm 104, which extends upwardly when the missile is in the loaded position of FIGURE 3, and which is engageable with the top of the compartment 12 to hold the latch against rotation with the carrier toward launching position, so that the latch member will be disengaged from the flange 70 to release the missile, when the carrier has moved to launching position under the influence of the coiled spring 82, as seen in FIGURE 2.

When the missile is in the loaded position of FIG- URE 3, the carrier and missile are urged toward the releasing or launching position of FIGURE 2, and a launch-' ing latch 106 is pivotally mounted at the forward end of the vehicle as by means of a pin 108, which has a hook 110 positioned for engagement with the collar 60 of the missile to releasably hold the missile and carrier against movement to launching position. The launching latch is formed with a forwardly curved arm 112, whose outer end extends forwardly beyond the forward end of the vehicle when the launching latch is in latched position, as seen in FIGURE 3, and this latch has a perforated lug 114 to which a coil spring 116 is attached at one end, which spring is attached at its other end to an upstanding post 118 in the vehicle to yieldingly urge the latch toward launching position, so that when the carrier reaches launching position the hook will be released from the flange 70 of the missile to allow the missile to be propelled upwardly from the vehicle.

A saddle member is mounted on the vehicle, extending upwardly from the top of the forward compart ment 14, in position for engagement with the missile, to limit downward swinging movement of the missile and carrier when the missile is moved to loaded position.

In loading the missile, the missile is lowered over the carrier 72 with the carrier in the launching position of FIGURE 2 until the flange 70 of the missile is seated on the flange 74 of the carrier, in which position the hook 90 of the latch member 88 will extend over the flange 70 of the missile, and the missile and carrier are then swung downwardly about the shaft 78 against the pressure of the coil spring 82 until the missile is seated in the saddle 120, whereupon the hook 110 of the missile launching latch will be engaged in the recess 62 of the collar 60 to hold the missile in loaded position with the arm 112 of the latch 106 extending forwardly from the vehicle, in position for engagement with an object in the path of the vehicle. In this condition of the mechanism, the downwardly extending lug 92 of the missile holding latch 88 will be extended through the slot 54 in the top of the compartment 12 and through the slot 52 of the switch blade 40, in position to engage the switch blade at the forward end of the slot 52 when the switch blade is moved into contact with the contact element 42 by pulling out on the plunger 50. With the mechanism thus placed in condition for operation, the plunger 50 may be pulled out to close the circuit including the batteries 16 and motor 20, whereupon the vehicle will be propelled forwardly along the track 38 by the motor.

The trackway 38 is provided with an upstanding abutment 122, positioned for engagement with the outer end of the arm 112 of the latch 106, when the vehicle reaches the abutment, whereby the missile launching latch will be moved out of engagement with the collar 106 to allow the missile and carrier to move upwardly under the influence of the coil spring 82 to the launching position of FIGURE 2. As the carrier and missile move toward the launching position, the arm 104 of the missile releasing latch 108 will be moved into engagement with the upper surface of the top of the compartment 12, after which further movement of the missile and carrier toward launching position will release the hook 90 from the flange 70 of the missile, whereupon the missile will be propelled upwardly off of the carrier by the coil spring 100.

As the missile and carrier move to launching position, the lug 92 of the missile releasing latch 88, in contact with the forward end of the slot 52 of the switch blade 40, will move the switch blade forwardly out of contact with the contact element 42 to open the motor circuit, thus stopping the vehicle.

The mono-rail trackway 38 of the invention, in the present illustration, takes the form of elongated sections formed of suitable material, such as plastic and tubing 124, or the like, of convenient length, which are releasably connected together as by means of pins or plugs such as that indicated at 26 in FIGURE 10, to form a continuous trackway. The trackway may be assembled in various configurations, such as the trackway 38 of FIGURE 11, or the trackway 38' of FIGURE 12.

The trackway also includes a switching member, generally designated 126, illustrated in FIGURE 9, which is preferably of one-piece, molded plastic material, having a flat, plate-like base portion 128, formed with longitudinally outwardly extending pin portions 130, 131 and 132 extending above its upper surface. The pin portions and 131 terminate at their inner ends inwardly of the edge of the base and are formed with end notches 134, and the pin portion 132 is formed with an elongated, flexible, free extension 136 forming a switch blade whose free end 138 is tapered to t into the notches 134. The switch blade 136 is of a length to be engaged with either of the pin portions 130 or 131 in the notches 134- to releasably hold the blade in either position of adjustment of the switch. The switch blade may be moved from one position to another by flexing the blade to lift the free end 138 thereof out of one notch 134- and insert the same into the other notch. The free ends of the pin portions 139, 131 and 132 are inserted into the ends of tubular sections 124 of the track in positioning the switch in the trackway.

An abutment member or stop 138 is provided for the trackway, which is also preferably of one-piece molded construction having a flat, plate like base portion 140 and formed with the upstanding abutment 122. The abutment member has a central, longitudinal, upwardly extending hollow rib 142 within which the track may be positioned and through which the track extends to permit the member to be positioned at any desired location on the track. The member 138 may be formed with a bevelled edge portion 144 along one end upon which the grooved wheel 34 may ride when the vehicle approaches the abutment 122.

The abutment member 133 is positioned at any desired location along the trackway, so that when the vehicle reaches the abutment member the grooved wheel 34 may ride up onto the plate like portion 140 by contact with the bevelled end portion 144, and when the vehicle reaches the abutment 122, the arm 112 of the latch 106 will be operated to release the missile launching latch to allow the missile to move to launching positions, whereupon the missile releasing latch 83 will be released to allow the missile to be propelled upwardly.

It will be apparent that the vehicle may be largely formed of relatively light and durable plastic material, and due to the fact that the batteries 16 are positioned in the forward compartment of the vehicle over the grooved roller or wheel 34, this roller will be maintained in engagement with the trackway 38 by the weight of the batteries, so that the vehicle will readily position the contour of the traclrway regardless of how the trackway is shaped.

It will thus be seen that the invention, constructed as described above, provides a missile launching toy which is of sturdy construction, easily assembled, and which operates automatically to launch the missile, while at the same time stopping the vehicle upon launching of the missile.

The invention is disclosed herein in connection with a certain specific embodii ent of the same, but it will be understood that this is intended by way of example only and that numerous changes can be made in the construc tion and arrangement of the various parts within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a monorail trackway of a missile launching toy comprising a wheeled vehicle, means on the vehicle positioned for engagement with the trackway to guide the vehicle along the trackway, an elongated missile movably mounted on the vehicle for vertical swinging movement to a generally horizontally extending lowered position and to an upwardly extending raised position, yieldable means positioned for coaction with the missile and vehicle to yieldingly urge the missile toward said raised position, movable means on the vehicle positioned for movement into and out of a position in engagement with the missile to releasably hold the missile in lowered position, means positioned for coaction with the missile and vehicle to move the missile away from the vehicle When the missile is raised and means on said trackway positioned for engagement with said movable means to move said movable means out of engagement with the missile when the vehicle reaches a predetermined position.

2. The combination with a monorail trackway of a missile launching toy comprising a wheeled vehicle, means on the vehicle positioned for engagement with the trackway to guide the vehicle along the trackway, an elongated missile movably mounted on the vehicle for vertical swinging movement to a generally horizontally extending lowered position and to an upwardly extending raised position, yieldable means positioned for coaction with the missile and vehicle to yieldingly urge the missile toward said raised position, latch means movably mounted on the vehicle for movement to a position for coaction with the missile and vehicle when the missiie is in lowered position to hold the missile against longitudinal movement away from the vehicle and to a position to release the missile when the missile reaches said raised position, means positioned for coaction with the missile and vehicle to propel the missile from the vehicle when the missile is raised, movable means on the vehicle positioned for movement into and out of a position in engagement With the missile to releasably hold the missile against movement away from said lowered position, and means on the trackway positioned for engagement with said movable means to move said movable means out of engagement with the missile when the vehicle reaches a predetermined position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,793,368 Johnson Feb. 17, 1931 2,575,055 Jaeger Nov. 13, 1951 2,669,403 McKay Feb. 16, 1954 2,735,221 Fields Feb. 21, 1956 2,788,613 Gelfand et al. Apr. 16, 1957 2,952,942 Troha Sept. 20, 1960 2,961,797 Bonanno Nov. 29, 1960 2,964,032 Noble Dec. 13, 1960 3,025,846 Crosman Mar. 20, 1962 

1. THE COMBINATION WITH A MONORAIL TRACKWAY OF A MISSILE LAUNCHING TOY COMPRISING A WHEELED VEHICLE, MEANS ON THE VEHICLE POSITIONED FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TRACKWAY TO GUIDE THE VEHICLE ALONG THE TRACKWAY, AN ELONGATED MISSILE MOVABLY MOUNTED ON THE VEHICLE FOR VERTICAL SWINGING MOVEMENT TO A GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING LOWERED POSITION AND TO AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING RAISED POSITION, YIELDABLE MEANS POSITIONED FOR COACTION WITH THE MISSILE AND VEHICLE TO YIELDINGLY URGE THE MISSILE TOWARD SAID RAISED POSITION, MOVABLE MEANS ON THE VEHICLE POSITIONED FOR MOVEMENT INTO AND OUT OF A POSITION IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE MISSILE TO RELEASABLY HOLD THE MISSILE IN LOWERED POSITION, MEANS POSITIONED FOR COACTION WITH THE MISSILE AND VEHICLE TO MOVE THE MISSILE AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN THE MISSILE IS RAISED AND MEANS ON SAID TRACKWAY POSITIONED FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID MOVABLE MEANS TO MOVE SAID MOVABLE MEANS OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE MISSILE WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHES A PREDETERMINED POSITION. 